Windows Update hangs on "checking for updates". Haven't been able to install updates since Oct. 2011

Anonymous

Hey there everyone,

I'm having an issue with Windows Update on my Windows 7 64-bit computer. My last most recent update check was on 10/3/2011 and my last actual update was on 9/29/2011. What is basically happening is that Windows is telling me that I need to check for updates. I click on Check for updates, and it basically acts like it is checking for updates, but never moves beyond that. I can leave it checking for hours, and nothing will happen. It won't get me to the screen where I can actually select updates, nor does Windows even acknowledge that I checked for updates.

I've already tried using the Windows Update Fix tool, but there was no success with that at all. I thought that maybe it was my firewall or internet settings, and it's not that either. Does anyone have any suggestions. Thanks!

Peter

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Anonymous

Hi,

Try the following methods

Method 1:

1. Click Start

2. Type ‘cmd’ in the search bar.

3. Right click Command prompt and choose “Run as Administrator”

4. At the command prompt, type the following, commands and then press ENTER after each command:

a. net stop wuauserv

b. net stop bits

c. net stop cryptsvc

Please do not close the Command Prompt window.

Method 2: ****Rename folders pertaining to Windows Update.

At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each command:

a) ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2 Catroot2.old

b) ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

At the command prompt, type the following, commands and then press ENTER after each command:

a) net start wuauserv

b) net start bits

c) net start cryptsvc

Close the Command Prompt window and check the issue if issue reoccurs

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237 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-08-14T15:03:37+00:00

Thank you for the super-quick response!

I did a disk cleanup of windows updates. When I restarted the computer it configured updates and then the cleanup.

I have downloaded this now and will run it. What should my next step be? Currently it is still 'searching for updates on this computer'.
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Anonymous

2016-08-14T14:58:50+00:00

Download KB3172605 from here:

KB3172605 32-bit

KB3172605 64-bit

Regards, VZ
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Anonymous

2016-08-14T14:53:25+00:00

Hi,

I am having a very strange issue.

When I am trying to follow the advice you gave to Doug by downloading the updates from Microsoft.com,

I select the language and click on Download, and it goes to the next page stating 'thank you for downloading' but doesn't actually download the file for me to run?

My issue is that I have 33 updates to install but when I am trying to install them, it stays on 0%.

Over a month ago I had an issue where it would even search for updates forever on 05. I installed KB3145739 manually and after that it searched for and downloaded the updates successfully. I have tried that this time, but when I attempted to run it, it hung.

Not sure about what I should do!
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Anonymous

2016-08-14T12:55:56+00:00

Vinod,

I tried this and for the first method after I tried to rename it gave a 'access denied' reply. Now What? I tried again, nothing, so I restarted the services and it stated that the wuauserv was already started. weird. I had stopped it. Any thoughts?
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